The Tragic Life and Redemption of a Comedy Legend

This is a record of an interview with the late Taiwanese entertainer Xu Buliang, who sought Spiritual Deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This account reflects upon his life and past karmic conditions. Recorded by the chief writer, Li Jiaxian, on June 2, 2017.

Li Jiaxian speaks:

"We respectfully invite Mr. Xu Buliang, once a king of comedy and celebrated as the 'Charlie Chaplin of Taiwan.' Through the ripening of Causal Conditions, he arrived at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Through the compassion of Practitioner Su, he was invited to the Dharma-Nature Land to listen to the sutras before being led to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. We ask Mr. Xu to explain his karmic conditions and the process of his rebirth, so that more people may understand the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss and Namo Amituofo. Mr. Xu, please share your story with compassion. Namo Amituofo."

The Rise of the 'Clown'

Xu Buliang speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. 'Bitter, never-ending bitterness'—my life was defined by this. My very name seemed to destine me for a life of endless suffering. As a child, my family was so poor that I was given away to be raised by others. From a young age, I followed my foster father, performing wherever we could. As I grew older, I continued to perform magic tricks. Because I was skilled in acrobatics and ventriloquism, and had a natural talent for comedy, my performances became quite popular. When I was in my twenties, I began performing in cabaret clubs, which caught the attention of television producers. At that time, the famous singer Feng Feifei came to visit the set to watch my performance. She had a keen eye and saw potential in me; she felt I was a hidden gem. Back then, I was performing as a duo with Fang Zheng.

"I started performing with Feng Feifei, acted in television dramas, and eventually moved into films. The roles I played—often the 'clown'—were a stark reflection of my own life. I performed them with such raw intensity that I became a sensation overnight. It was something I never expected. My agent began booking film after film for me. How many did I make? I became famous across all of Taiwan. At that time, almost every movie featuring Xu Buliang was sold out. This brought me great wealth, but it was also the beginning of my true agony."

Controlled by the Shadows

"In those days, whether it was the cabaret clubs or the film studios, there were always underworld figures pulling the strings behind the scenes. Because every show I did was packed, I generated immense wealth for these operators. Consequently, I was threatened and controlled by the underworld. Sometimes, even if I did not want to perform, I had no choice. They would force me to go to certain clubs or film sets. My body could not handle the strain, but I could not refuse. They threatened my life if I did not comply. My entire life changed; I was under their control, with no safety and no freedom. I became deeply depressed. What is the meaning of earning so much money if you have no freedom?

"I became incredibly passive. I spent my days drowning my sorrows in alcohol, hoping to get so drunk that I would never wake up. My life was excruciating. Every time I opened my eyes, it was either a performance or a film shoot. Acting was supposed to be about entertaining people—seeing the audience laugh until they held their stomachs was once my greatest joy. Why? Why did it turn into this? I became exactly like the clown I portrayed, manipulated by others, stripped of all freedom and selfhood. I was in so much pain, so much pain, that I used alcohol to numb myself completely."

The Final Curtain

"One day, while on set, I suddenly collapsed. I had developed cirrhosis of the liver. I was sent to the hospital, but in my heart, I wanted to be liberated early; I had no desire to be treated. Yet, I was forced to perform even while hooked up to an IV drip. I drank alcohol like water, hoping that Heaven would take me away soon. Not long after, I died suddenly from acute hepatitis, ending my life in my thirties.

"After I died, my spirit remained in the underworld, still drunk and disoriented. One day, I seemed to hear someone calling my name: 'Xu Buliang! Xu Buliang!' Suddenly, my drunkenness vanished. I was pulled by a beam of light to a strange place I had never been before. I saw a person with a compassionate face—the one they call Practitioner Su. She asked me if I was Xu Buliang, and I replied, 'Yes.' This Practitioner Su then invited me to the Dharma-Nature Land.

"Only after listening to the Dharma did I understand the laws of the universe: the Law of Causal Conditions and the causes and effects. The negative karma created in past lives is the reason we are born into this world; it is all a matter of karmic retribution."

The Debt of Six Lifetimes

Li Jiaxian speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. May I ask, Mr. Xu, how many lifetimes of karmic creditors were involved in causing your illness?"

Xu Buliang speaks:

"About six lifetimes, I believe. In one past life, I was a local bully. Relying on my wealth and power, I ran rampant, ignoring the suffering of the people. I only cared about my own gain and had no empathy for those in need. I frequently collected 'protection fees' in the markets. If they could not pay, my henchmen would beat them mercilessly. Some even lost their lives because of me. I did not understand the plight of the poor; I forced them to pay. When the common people heard my men were coming to collect fees and they had no money, they were filled with terror and anxiety. Some, unable to pay, were beaten, and some even took their own lives in despair.

"Seeing how cruel I was in that life, I realise that the retribution I suffered in this life—being oppressed by the underworld to earn money for them—was exactly the same as the fear and anxiety I caused others when I collected protection fees. Some of those underworld bosses were people I had oppressed in past lives. They were simply returning the debt. Looking back, I see my own cruelty. They were only here to collect their due. I repent for the negative karma I created out of ignorance in past lives. I repent and repent again. Through the compassion of Practitioner Su, during the morning kinhin, she was able to lead the beings I had harmed to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Namo Amituofo."

The Seeds of Goodness

Li Jiaxian speaks:

"Namo Amituofo! Mr. Xu, in the entertainment industry, you rose to fame very quickly and were beloved by all of Taiwan. What tremendous blessing did you cultivate in your past lives to achieve this?"

Xu Buliang speaks:

"Recalling my past lives, four lifetimes ago, my family was so poor we could not even afford three meals a day. My parents could not support me and gave me away to be adopted. My foster parents treated me like their own son. My foster father was a businessman, and his business was initially calm and smooth. One day, he came home and told my mother he had made a lot of money and had built a big house for us to move into. We soon discovered that his wealth was ill-gotten. Both my mother and I knew it. My mother repeatedly urged him to give away this ill-gotten wealth to charity, but he refused. He told her, 'I worked so hard for this glory and wealth; how can I easily give it up?' Not long after, my father died an unnatural death. My mother, overcome with grief, passed away shortly after.

"Although that ill-gotten wealth brought us luxury, it cost my father his life. I was the only one left in the family to enjoy the wealth, but I would have preferred a life of simple tea and rice with my parents still alive. Just then, the village was hit by a disaster, and many people were displaced. Wanting to help the victims, I took all the ill-gotten wealth my father had left and used it to provide disaster relief, helping them through their hardships. I gave away all that wealth. I never expected that in this lifetime, I would become a superstar. It was because I gave away that ill-gotten wealth in a past life. The initial intention was one of goodness, and thus I reaped a good fruit. Doing evil will ultimately lead to evil retribution. I use my experience to warn the world: keep a kind heart, perform many good deeds. A family that accumulates goodness will surely have blessings in the future. Namo Amituofo."

Li Jiaxian speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Thank you, Mr. Xu, for accepting this interview. Your story serves as a warning to the world that evil deeds will eventually bring evil retribution, and good deeds will surely bring good fruit. Namo Amituofo."